January 5, 2012 by RVBusiness · Comments Off on Long-Running English RV Show Gets Canceled

A long-running RV show in Birmingham, England, has been canceled, organizers said.

BBC reported that the Boat and Caravan Show was due to take place at the NEC in February after attracting 87,000 people last year. Organizers Ocean Media Group (OMG) said it had been forced to cancel the 50-year-old show after another event was set up in London.

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce said it was unfortunate news for the area but was not a “sign of what’s to come.”

Jerry Blackett, from the chamber, said: “We are at the heart of the country, we are the natural meeting place for these big shows. Let’s remember the NEC still does have 14 of the top 20 UK exhibitions. They bring reputation, they bring spending power, they bring hotel beds being filled up.”

OMG said it had been left without the support of the caravan industry after the National Caravan Council (NCC), a consortium of manufacturers, decided to start its own event. Last year, the NCC announced a smaller event for February 2012 at London’s Excel centre.

Until recently, the NEC event had the support of caravan dealers, but following their withdrawal, OMG said it was left with no alternative but to cancel the event.

The London-based company said four people had lost jobs due to the cancellation of the event.

The Camping and Caravanning Club’s director general, Robert Louden, said: “It is a great shame to hear that such a reputable and long-established show has been cancelled, particularly as it has become such an integral part of the industry’s calendar.”

Kathryn James, managing director at the NEC, said she was sorry the show had been cancelled after 35 years at the NEC. Before that, it was held at Bingley Hall in Birmingham.

She added: “The Midlands continues to host a very successful caravan show with NCC Events, The Motorhome and Caravan Show, which took place at the NEC last October and which we will welcome back in October 2012.

“We continue to maintain positive relationships with both Ocean Media Group and NCC Events and look forward to continuing working with both organizations in the future.”